


embracing darkness.

by xisanamii



Category: Brave 10
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Fluff, Feels, Fluff, Help this poor boy, Other, Temporarily Unrequited Love, also some good old banter btwn kama and isanami ofc, and okay i guess this can technically be, give it till like chapter two or three guys, i like writing that part, i mean i'm still going to shove fluff down your throats along the way but, i miss my kids, i'm determined to make every bit of this post-canon shit count, indulgence!!! for me !!!!, sasuke is a FOOL who's been pining for eleven years, they're all adults this makes me sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 15:57:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16875813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xisanamii/pseuds/xisanamii
Summary: ten years have passed. ten years of extensive research on the surface world and ten years of isolated darkness in yomi. sasuke is the one to facilitate this mini rescue operation, clinging onto an unrequited love of (now) eleven years. even if nothing may have changed, however, he's still willing to devote himself to her recovery.isanami, bearing the sins that her other self has committed, has also decided to move forward into the future. however, something's different -- perhaps, the remnants of the braves are not the only ones to have changed -- so has her heart. (sasuke/isanami, post-canon)





	embracing darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> did someone ask for fluff? no? TOO BAD, IT'S HERE. FUCK YEAH SELF-INDULGENCE AT ITS FINEST. IT MAY HAVE BEEN MORE THAN TWO YEARS SINCE BRAVE 10S ENDED BUT HELL IF I'M LETTING THAT STOP ME FROM!!! WRITING !!! MY SHIPS !!!! it's a mini slow burn -- obviously, i'm taking from the canon stuff of sasuke's (for now) one-sided love. but yknow, isanami needs some more rumination before i let this ship sail. it's gonna be a tough journey... and tbh, i did contemplate leaving it like this, and keeping it semi one-sided, but yknow what? I WANNA SPOIL MYSELF. I'M GONNA MAKE THEM KISS LATER. SOMEONE REJOICE WITH ME.
> 
> also, if you wanna know what the "bet" was about (mentioned in this chapter), it'll pop up. i'm pretty sure i'll be answering any questions that may have risen in the coming chapters tbf.
> 
> but also keep note this is a PG13 fic. get ur mind outta the gutter =3=

It all started that day.

She had gotten a new outfit, to commemorate the day that she was taken into the shrine. It’s something like a birthday, her sisters had told her, and she had cheerfully spun around in it and loved how it was both cute and easy to move in.

The day had been sunny. A bit hot for her liking. There was a strong wind, she hears the remarks of her sisters that perhaps they should go inside soon. Isanami was being led by the hand by one of them when suddenly, the sound of a body hitting the ground is heard. She heard a scream.

Isanami looked back, seeing the white fabric of another sister’s shrine maiden outfit growing a stain of blood. The one who screamed just now falls to the ground too.

“Isanami-chan, run-!”

The sister holding her hand forcefully tugged on her arm. Isanami’s eyes are wide, she cannot move. Body frozen in place and only stiffly pulled by the head sister, one by one, the bodies of the women drop to the ground. What stood above them was the dark-colored figure of a man.

The heat was getting more unbearable.

Being dragged through the halls of the shrine now, her arm is passed along to the head priest.

“I’m going to look for other survivors!” The head sister had declared. The head priest nodded, saying that he would lead Isanami somewhere safer.

However, the head sister had only went down two steps before a knife went through her head.

Isanami finally let out a scream. The shock, the fear, the anger, the sadness -- it all caught up to her. The head priest muttered a prayer under his breath as he continued to run, forcing the priestess to run alongside him.

The shrine halls are hot. Flames are eating away at the beautiful color.

“Isanami, you must hurry!” The head priest urged.

“B-But… But everyone is still-!”

“Leave them! Only you must survive!”

She had been in disbelief at that statement. Her face had been stricken with tears, the heat drying them just as quickly as they formed. Why? Why only her?

At the end of the hallway, the man is there. Ah. Hanzo.

“Every last Izumo must die.”

“Isanami!”

Though at the time, she didn’t know, but Hanzo hadn’t even aimed for Isanami. Still, the movement of the head priest to cover her had been a noble one. All the kunais sunk into his body, but the head priest had not died yet.

“Listen, Isanami, you cannot hand this over to anyone.” A hand ghosted over the Kushimitama. “Find Sanada Yukimura of Shinshuu.”

It was hard to listen. Everything felt dull in her head. Through the grief and trauma though, she managed to cling onto those words.

“Sakimitama, Kushimitama, please protect us. Protect her.”

“E-Eh?”

And then the floor disappeared beneath her. The last thing she saw was the silhouette of her beloved father figure being cut to pieces.

Darkness. Darkness enveloped her, embracing the body that harbored the reason all this started.

When she opens her eyes, she sees nothing but black.

“Ah… another dream.”

She sits up, hair sliding over her shoulder just slightly.

“I wonder…” But what is there to wonder? The time? The day? The month?

Even if she knew how long she’s been in Yomi, it would not change the fact she would remain here for the rest of eternity.

“I think my hair’s gotten longer.”

It’s kinda funny to think about. Could her hair grow long? She didn’t even feel _hunger_ in this dreadful place. Irony is bittersweet; as a human, she could eat enough to feed multiple people.

And as… someone not human anymore, it’s funny to think of the possibility that she could still grow hair. Perhaps it’s not too far of a stretch. Being inhumane actually brought about a few unresolved mysteries, did it not?

She stretches her right arm out, moving it softly. One example could be this arm that had been cut off. During the fight, Izanami had managed to regrow it, though the effects were not immediate.

Even after all this time in Yomi, Isanami still hasn’t reconciled what this new control of her body can do.

“Ah, good morning.” A soft greeting is given towards a presence to her right. One of the shikome. There’s no light in this underworld, but over time, Isanami has gotten to recognize the presence of many of Yomi’s inhabitants. Her nose wrinkles at the smell. “Oh, Shi-chan, have you been playing in one of the rivers again? How many times do I gotta tell you, a lot of things here are polluted. Now you stink.”

This shikome had been newly converted, so Isanami didn’t fault her for not understanding every nuance of Yomi just yet.

“Hm?” She tilts her head. “There’s been a disturbance in the souls here lately? Mah, I guess that wouldn’t be surprising. There’s probably a war going up on there. A lot of people are dying lately…”

Her voice trails off and she can’t stop the pang of sadness that tugs at her heart. Her memories had never deteriorated, only pushed to the back of her mind. Thinking of the surface world made her sad, so she had done her best to repress those happy memories.

But on top of it all, all she knew is that there were people she didn’t want to see in this underworld so soon. And so, even if she couldn’t remember their names, she still held the idea of who they would be… asking those escorting the souls into the underworld to inform her whenever someone familiar showed up.

So far, no one has shown up. She’s glad.

There’s another chittering and Isanami looks up. Of course, it’s to no avail since she can’t exactly meet the eyes of whoever’s in front of her, but it’s the little gestures she takes solace in.

“Eh, Shi-san?” An older shikome, one who guides the raijin and other shikome. “It requires my intervention? But why?”

Only on rare occasions did the ruler of the underworld herself take action. Isanami still isn’t warmed up to the idea of what Izanami did, but from the looks of it, at least she seemed to adore her subjects in this realm. The former priestess had done her best to follow suite while staying within her own beliefs, but she isn’t entirely fond of the idea of using violence on these already lost souls.

“Mhn,” Isanami sighs. “Okay, I’ll come take a look. I’ll trouble you to guide me, please.”

A rotten hand grasps her wrist. She’s also gotten used to that kind of touch.

“They aren’t eating the food here, huh….”

She can hardly fault them. Isanami herself, for lack of appetite, also has not eaten a bit of food for as long as she’s been here. She heard the story of how Izanami had been bound to this place because she had eaten, so under a false and futile hope, Isanami didn’t eat because maybe… maybe one day, her sins could be forgiven and she could leave as well.

She never voiced this aloud, and even the thought of it had been crushing, so she erased it from her memory as well.

“Give them time, maybe?” Isanami suggests. She can just sense the annoyed look of the shikome though, so she sheepishly smiles and remains silent.

A short time passes before she hears the rushing of a river.

“Oh, we’re here.” She blinks. “And? Where is the stubborn person?”

There’s another silence all around. Isanami tilts her head in confusion. The shikome had affirmed earlier this is the right place and she can sense there’s another presence here. Perhaps the soul is too scared to speak?

“Um, soul-san, you don’t need to be afraid.” Isanami speaks up. “I’m-”

“.... _Isanami_.”

Her name is uttered. That name, she has not heard in so long, and the tone of which it had been uttered is breathless.

Her eyes widen, but before she can make a sound, her body is pulled into a -- _warm?_ \-- embrace.

No no, that isn’t right, the souls of the dead are not warm, have never been warm. Her heart she thought long gone suddenly starts speeding up, but panic overtakes her reaction.

“No!”

She shoves at the person abruptly, taking a step back. She’s self-conscious now. In this land of the dead, her body has surely rotted. They had -- touched her!

“Y-You’re alive. You’re someone who is living! Leave this place!” No no no, this is all wrong. They should not have touched her! What if -- what if she had infected them?!

“Isanami…” The voice repeats. She cannot recognize it. Oh, but her heart aches. It yearns to be closer. “It’s okay. I found a way…”

This is just a dream.

“D-Don’t come closer! Don’t look at me!” She cries out. “Please… please don’t look at me.” She collapses, covering her face while her petite body is racked with sobs. “I did this… I did this to everyone…”

The memories are coming back. The voice is different from anyone she remembers, but there’s a certain warmth, a certain familiarity to it -- it only reminds her of what has been lost.

“Isanami, do you remember me?”

The voice is gentle, soft, concerned. She can hear him step closer. She flinches and he stops.

“You don’t…?”

“....” She looks away. “I do…” But she hugs herself, shies away, protecting the rotting body from being touched again. He does not deserve that.

“Sasuke… I remember everything now.”

He breathes a sigh of relief. Still, his own chest twists at her reaction.

“I’m… I’m sorry I’m not Saizou, but-”

“It’s not that!” Isanami says frantically. Her fingers curl to form a fist. “You… you’re still alive, aren’t you?”

He’s taken aback by her protest, but thinks it’s just her kindness going to reassure him. Nonetheless, he nods. “I am.”

“Then why-”

“I’ve come. To take you back to the surface.” Even in all this darkness, she can hear the smile in his voice. “It… took a long time. A lot of research. But everyone -- we figured out a way to return you without causing disorder in Yomi. A way to heal your body. A way for you to stay with us.”

She shakes her head, though a breath of a laugh slips past her lips. “Sasuke, you’ve changed. You’re talking more now. It’s nice.”

He coughs. A blush rushes his cheeks (at least, that hasn’t changed) and he attempts to cover it up. “W-Well… it’s been a while. I hope I’ve changed a little.”

Another silence passes and her shoulders relax.

When he notices she’s calmed down, he quietly kneels in front of her.

“Isanami. It’s time to go home.”

“How… How can I do that?” She whispers stubbornly. “Even if…. Even if you guys managed to figure out a way, I can’t face everyone like this.”

“You look fine. We found a way to heal bodies affected by Yomi. Izanagi was able to do so, thus, we calculated you would be able to as well.” he insists.

“I killed Kakei-san.”

The cold statement freezes even her body for the moment. A hand goes up to her hair, pulling it in distress. “Ana… Ana is dead too, right? I killed her. It’s all my fault. None of this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been there.”

“Isanami,” Sasuke says sternly. Now, if there’s one thing that has definitely changed, it’s the boldness in the way he speaks. She feels his hand gently cradling her face, prying her fingers away from her hair. “None of that is your fault. It was Izanami.”

“She is me. I am her.”

“No, you are Isanami. You are a Brave.”

The word, ‘Brave’ suddenly washes a wave of nostalgia on her. Ah, when she had been something like this, a withering ball of self-pity in Oshu, it had been Ana who told her she was a Brave who could be useful with her heart. Back then, she had turned Sasuke away, right? And it was those words that brought her back to Ueda.

It’s… coming back again. What a twist of fate, that it could be Sasuke now to turn her head towards the light.

“What simple words…” She laughs sadly. Still, a hand goes up to gently grasp the one that’s holding her face. _So warm._ “I hurt you that time, didn’t I? Izanami, I mean.” Her other hand goes to gently brush against his chest.

He jostles but does not move. Her touch -- it is comforting too.

“It’s been… a long time since that happened.” He tells her, amusement dancing in his eyes.

“You can tell me how long after we get out then. I don’t think I can handle any more information right now.”

“You will come?”

“I will,” she agrees. “Actually… I’ve been hoping for this day. I wanted to give up, but hearing your words, and remembering everything…” She smiles. “Ana would tell me to get off my stubborn butt, right? Kakei-san would scold me. Onii-chan... I think he wouldn't want me to stay. And Sasuke… you risked a lot to come here.” She sighs. “It hurts… it still hurts. To know my sins. But I will live to redeem those sins I’ve committed.”

He allows her to speak. Though words rise to assure her that those sins are not only hers to bear, he notices that this is a newfound source of her strength. Therefore, he simply nods and shuffles forward, moving his arms under her legs and lifting her body up in one swift movement.

“Ah-” She yelps, arms moving to wrap around his neck.

“Sorry,” he mutters.

Isanami shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. I was just surprised. It’s not the first time you’ve carried me like this anyway.”

She presses her head against the crook of his shoulder and inhales.

“You smell like the forest. At least that hasn’t changed.”

“...” His face flushes again. “Isanami, teasing me… is not good.”

“Eh?” She blinks. “What do you mean, teasing?”

He presses his lips together. “Nothing.”

“Wow, now you’re keeping secrets from me?” She grins. “Sasuke really has changed~”

Mhn, change is scary, but at the same time, wouldn’t it really be scary if in all the time that passed, things hadn’t changed? Even in this abysmal darkness, his footsteps cannot be heard. The only way she actually even knows they're moving is because of the occasionally rocking of her body.

“I’ll bite,” she begins after a while. “How long has it been?”

Sasuke squints. The exit is just ahead. He pulls a cloth to cover Isanami’s body.

“Sunlight will be hard on you at first. Bear with this for awhile.” He advises. She nods and wraps the fabric around her tighter, not wanting even a fraction of his efforts to go to waste. “And to answer… it’s been ten years.”

She chokes on her spit _(wow, she has spit forming now? Nostalgia is strong)._

“Oh,” she manages weakly. “That is a long time.”

“Mhn.”

“Man, I wanna see what Sasuke looks like now.” She whines -- now, the fabric has just become a nuisance rather than something to help her. There's a soft gush of wind -- the surface world. Her excitement is mixed in with her revelation. “No wonder your voice got deeper.”

“.... Mhn.”

“How has everyone else been doing? Did Yukimura-sama grow a longer beard? Oh! Ben-chan must have become a young adult by now, right? Did Saizou grow out his hair and get another haircut? Is Kamanosuke still annoying?”

“For those questions…” There’s a faint tinge of amusement in his voice. “I think would be better answered by those people themselves.”

“Eh?”

“Oi oi, it just looks like you’re carrying a dead body out of there. Did the bitch die on the way out or what?”

“Yup, Kamanosuke’s still annoying.”

* * *

The reunion is still short lived -- though she heard all the voices that were… different, but still held the intimacy she remembered by those ten years ago, she would very much prefer to _see_ them. However, one of the recovering techniques is to be hidden away from sunlight and then gradually be exposed again.

Everything had to come in small bits. So, she remains wrapped in that cloth (now, thanks to Kamanosuke, she did feel like a corpse being carried out….), but they're catching her up, a brief history lesson of the past ten years. Yukimura lost his status. Now, they all live in a village, lying low because of the wars that changed the tide of the land.

“I’m supposed to be dead,” Yukimura laughs. “Little did they know, killing me off is harder than it seems~”

“That’s not a good thing, now is it?” Rokurou sighs. “You’re just like a cockroach in that case, my Lord.”

“Ouch… that still hurts. Right here.”

Isanami giggles, swinging her feet in joy.

“Ben-chan and Saizou are waiting at the new place, eh?”

“Yeah, they wanted to cook something you liked.” Yukimura pauses. “Well, Daisuke did. And he needed a pair of hands to help, so Saizou drew the short end of the straw.”

“I’m surprised Kamanosuke came when Saizou didn’t,” Isanami remarks.

“I wanted to see if you died or not,” the former bandit replies snarkily.

“Man, I can’t wait to see you just so I can make fun of your haircut,” Isanami bites back.

“You’ll be crying by the time I’m done insulting _your_ new look.”

“Alright you two, stop fighting-” Yukimura interrupts. “We’re here! Though, er, Isanami will have to wait a little longer before I give a tour, huh? A lot of the hallways are exposed to light.”

“It’s fine. I’m fine with waiting.”

Sasuke carries her into a room. It's a bit chilly, likely due to the pseudo-darkness.

“There will be a little light from the sliding door. It will not touch you, but at least, you’ll finally be able to see.” Placing her down gently on a futon, he glances around. “Wait here, Isanami. I’ll get Saizou.”

“Eh?” She blinks and she can hear the shuffling of the other, ready to leave. Isanami reaches out and clutches onto his sleeve, dragging him down a little. “Wait, Sasuke. Why are you getting Saizou?”

“...”

She can hear him hesitating.

“He’s the one you want to see first.”

It’s not a question; it’s a statement. For some reason, her heart twists painfully at that.

“It’s not a matter of priority. I really want to see everyone.” She responds. “But Sasuke… you’re the one who saw me first. Shouldn’t it be that you’re the one I also see first then?”

Her grip tightens on his sleeve. There is no response, but she will not wait for one anyway - angrily, she tugs off the fabric and throws it to the side. Her eyes had been closed to buffer any light that might accidentally seep through, but she forcibly opens them in case the other makes his departure anytime soon.

It’s still dark, however, now she can make out his figure. Sasuke has decided to relent, silently standing there and waiting patiently for her vision to adjust itself.

As a shinobi, he could see in the dark back in Yomi. But the clarity of what he could see was muffled, only able to make out the outline of her form So… even if he didn’t have the courage to say it now, he wanted… to be the first one to see her in the surface world.

When she opens her eyes, his breath hitches. The small sunlight that peers through the thin paper of the sliding doors illuminates her frame -- he’s absolutely mesmerized.

“... You’re beautiful,” he whispers.

It goes unheard, intentionally so on his part, of course.  Isanami squints, blinking quite a few times before finally able to take in the clarity of his frame.

She smiles and he swears his heart may stop soon.

“Wow, you lost your baby face, Sasuke.”

His hand moves to cover his face, skin tone absolutely a dark shade of red. “Isanami…”

“Oh!” She blinks. “I-I didn’t mean that in a bad way, Sasuke! It’s just that… you’ve really matured! In a good way!” She hums. “Before, with your face, you were cute and innocent. But now it’s… how can I say it?” She taps her chin and of course, she’s entirely oblivious to the effects of her words. She truly does mean them in a harmless way, but to the poor boy- “You’re handsome!”

Nope. That’s it. Sarutobi Sasuke is down. Goodbye, surface world, it’s time to make another visit to Yomi.

“Ah, Sasuke!” Isanami crawls over, brows creasing in worry. “Yukimura-sama! Rokurou-san! Anyone! Are you okay? It’s the effects of Yomi?”

“N-No…” He mutters, refusing to look at her.

Hurried footsteps can be heard and Rokurou is in the doorway immediately.

“Isanami, what’s wrong? Is it your body rejecting the li-” He pauses, taking in the sight. “What happened to Sasuke?”

“I dunno!” She replies frantically. “He just collapsed all of a sudden!”

It only takes another glance to notice the flustered state the Koga shinobi is in.

“It’s Yomi, isn’t it? Because he went in and stayed to get me out when I was being stubborn-” Isanami’s speech is rushed. Rokurou merely sighs and holds up a hand.

“No, he’ll be fine.”

“Eh? B-But, how can you be so sure?”

Rokurou’s countenance is amused, though there’s an annoyed edge to his tone, as his concern had been for naught.

“I’m sure. Sasuke’s just been harboring this sickness for… no, not ten, eleven years now. And he hasn’t made any move to cure it.”

Isanami takes it literally.

“What?!” She rounds on Sasuke immediately. “Sasuke, why?!”

“R-Rokurou-san!” Sasuke wheezes out. “That’s not-”

“I suppose I owe Yukimura-sama and Saizou a bag of gold coins,” Rokurou says in disappointment, ignoring the betrayed expression on Sasuke’s face. “When we heard Isanami’s voice, we all had different ideas of what happened. Only I had real concern, and yet…” Another sigh, unfinished sentence, before the former page goes back to the the common room.

“Sasuke,” Isanami whines. “Take some medicine for that sickness! It must really be a bad cold!”

This will be a long day.


End file.
